Here’s how to avoid a big surprise when getting home insurance in California. Buildfax is the largest permitting database and they just joined forces with Equifax one of the three major credit bureaus and it’s about to change your ability to get insurance on a home. Experience shows that homebuyers typically wait till the end of the homebuying process to start getting insurance quotes. With this new partnering of companies, your insurance agent will be able to pull permits on the property they intend to insure. When they notice that there aren’t permits that should be there, you could end up having to spend your time and money chasing them down, or getting them completed in the first place. So if you want to save money on your home, it’s important that you are aware that you should start getting their insurance quotes right at the beginning of the escrow, because the last thing you want is for a new condition dropped on you from the lender at the last minute that could delay or kill your home purchase.

John McMonigle says he’s the world’s number one real estate agent. With only $73 in his pocket in 1989, he managed to climbed to the top of the Real Estate ladder with $2.5 billion in sales over the last six years. But  now he’s filing for bankruptcy. According to John, he’s only worth around $10 million with debts possibly as high as 100 million. He states he was counting on selling $45 million worth of real estate per month, but unfortunately he only averaged about $30 million per month.  This is a classic case of not knowing how much you can afford to spend.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for making as much money as you can in life, but let this be a lesson to all of us. If you want to be an entrepreneur with staying power, you live – not within – but well beneath – your means. I mean Hey, I have an “art display area” in my house too, but we call it “The refrigerator”.

MSNBC is reporting that renters are the next to be hit hard in the housing market with landlords expected to raise rent by at least 10% before the end of 2012. Who’s the next person who comes to mind right now that’s paying between $1200-2000 a month on rent, that would love to own a house for the same amount?  Right now, take out your cell phone, and call me immediately so we can help them get pre-approved for a house. Have a great weekend, and Happy Father’s day to all you dads.